Unexpected
by lost-my-iphone
Summary: Whatever Bella expected when Edward left her, it certainly wasn't Jasper, or the chance to rule the world.
1. Preface

**Unexpected**

**By ParamoreXD**

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_**Preface**_

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_Dear Bella,_

_I'm…sorry. I can't do it. I can't continuously put you in danger like this, simply because I love you._

_God, how I love you, and everything about you. I love your hair, I love your eyes, I love your body. But most of all, I love you soul, for all of its shining beauty. And because of that, I cannot stay with you. _

_I can feel my resolve weakening, feel your persuasion starting to sway me. And I cannot, I will not, turn you into one of us. I love you too much to tarnish you with our eternal curse. What Jasper did…he didn't mean it. You know that. But even though it hurts, the fact is, I can't always save you. Vampires are what we are. And I cannot let us be exposed to you for any more. It dangerous to your health, through both my fragile willpower and my family's nature. _

_And so, Bella, I must leave you again. I am not, I could never be, bored of you, fall out of love with you, exist without you. I love you with my cold, dead heart, and always will. You say that you will never love another, but have you ever tried? I cannot prevent you from doing anything, but I can keep you away from my family, away from me._

_Don't break down over me. I am not worth it. Don't cry over me. I am not worth it. Just know that I will always love you, and that you are free to do whatever you wish with your life._

_Isabella Marie Swan, you are free._

_With love,_

_Edward._

I scrunched the note into a tiny ball, and threw it into the bin. And just like that, my life shattered.

* * *

_This is the preface! I'll post chapter one tomorrow, and then I'll do the rest on a roughly weekly basis. I've just taken two liberties with this story:_

_That's it. The next chapter shall be up tomorrow (I've already written a significant portion of this story), and I hope you enjoyed. :)_

_This story takes place during the timeframe of Eclipse, but not the events. Edward didn't leave in New Moon, he continues to be with her until Senior Year, when Jasper attacks again. The story starts from there. _

_Hope you enjoyed. :)_


	2. Chapter 1

**Unexpected**

**By ParamoreXD**

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_**Chapter One**_

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_So, this is the real beginning! Feels great to be writing again…_

_Hope you enjoy._

_I'm tired of painted Edward as Dick!ward, so I decided to give him a break, for once. He's got worse coming for him._

* * *

If there is one thing in this world that I hate, it's Isabella Swan, the human who captured Edward's heart, and who ultimately left me without a family.

Why couldn't she have stayed away from us? We were far from welcoming. Why couldn't she have reacted correctly, properly, to the side of us that would have normal humans running and screaming? Why couldn't have she done what was natural: Shied away from us, but not know quite why. Why did Edward have to love her?

Why did Alice have to leave me?

I was leaning against the door-frame of our bedroom in the Cullen house in Forks. The bed was made; no-one had touched it in a week, and there was several large suitcases on it, some of the closed, one open. The door to Alice's closet was open, and she was just a blur as she took handfuls of designer clothes, folded them, and put them in the suitcases. The Cullens were leaving and me, the one who wasn't quite right, who never quite belonged, wasn't welcome to go with them.

We didn't speak. All the speaking was done. Alice had told me—screamed at me, in fact—that we were over, that she couldn't stay with someone who was so volatile, so carnal in nature. Half of me was wondering why. The other half was wondering why it had taken her so long to leave me. She told me she'd never really loved me; that our relationship was convenience, and nothing more. I had nothing to say to that. I had loved her. Not that there was anything to be done about it now.

I stiffened when I felt the hand on my shoulder; though I'd already known he was here.

"Jasper?" Edward asked, quietly. "Can I talk to you?"

I watched Alice pack for another minute, before shrugging myself off the doorway and then walking down the hall to the massive staircase. Orange light streamed in through the window—it was a rare sunny day in Forks, the sun just beginning its decent beneath the horizon—and painted the two of us in orange, our skin sparkling like facets of a diamond.

I stopped at the top of the steps, turning to face Edward. He looked… tired. But, strangely, there was no anger on his face, nor was he feeling any strong emotions, except for mild regret and a small amount of sadness that I was sure was just the tip of the iceberg. I was ashamed at what I had done to my brother.

His lips twitched into a wan smile.

"I don't blame you for what happened, Jasper," he said, honestly, his emotions reflecting this statement. He was telling the truth. Well, there was something I wasn't expecting.

He regarded me with sorrowful eyes. "It would have happened sooner or later, and there's no point in stomping all over the torn pieces of this family. I do blame you, though I think that's the emotions talking. I blame myself, much more though, for letting her be exposed to that world. That blame rests solely on my shoulders, and I will never forgive myself for that. I just wanted to tell you that I don't blame you for anything, nor am I angry at you. You've always been a good brother to me, and this was completely out of your control."

He put his hand on my shoulder, and looked me in the eyes. "Take care of yourself, Jasper. I hope I can one day see you again."

I nodded, and just like that, Edward was gone.

[page break]

An hour or so later, Alice was done with her packing, and was slowly taking them down to her car, which she'd gotten from Rosalie as a present a couple of months ago.

Finally, there was just one bag left. She picked it up with her right hand, and began to walk down the hallway, intent on going down the stairs to the car.

As she passed me, I reached out and placed my hand on her shoulder.

She froze, and dropped the suitcase. Without turning around, she hissed at me.

"Get your hand. Off my shoulder. Now."

"Alice…" I began.

"No, Jasper!" she whirled around, glaring at me. Her eyes were a flat black. "I can't _deal _with this anymore! I don't blame you for what you did—" Huh. That makes two of them. "—but I can't _deal _with it when it happens! This was the last straw. I can't, I just can't, deal with having a wayward object for a husband. I'm sorry, Jasper, but I just can't do it anymore."

_A wayward object for a husband. _I took my hand off as though stung. Immediately, she picked up the suitcase and blurred down the stairs like an angry tornado.

The others had already said their goodbyes and had left: Rosalie, Emmett, Carlisle and Esme. They were unhappy about it, but they did it because it was Edward's wish, and they recognised that it was the correct thing to do. The only ones left were Edward and Alice, who were going in Alice's car. Where they were going, I didn't know.

I heard the doors of Alice's expensive Italian car slam, and then the purr of the engine. The tires rolling on gravel.

And then they were gone, and I was left alone at the top of the stairs in the dying light.

[page break]

I lay in bed for an entire week, not breathing, not thinking, not moving. My eyes, beneath my closed eyelids gradually lost colour as they turned from golden to amber to a light brown, to black. I got thirstier and thirstier, as I began to mull things over in my head. I began to think, and somehow, I don't know how, I ended up blaming Mike Newton. I don't know how I ended up there, but in the dead of night I stole over to his house and murdered him, draining him of all blood.

My eyes now a vibrant crimson, I returned to the house, which was rapidly falling into disrepair. The windows became dirty, the vegetation snaking up to swallow the porch and the white walls of the house. All the while I haunted it, like a ghost, occasionally going out to feed. The foolish human had no idea what was going on; a series of unexplained murders with leads that went nowhere. Nobody returned to the house.

When I was thirsty, I fed. I moved further to feed, now, Port Angeles, Olympia, instead of Forks. The three murders committed there were glaringly obvious, and I wouldn't draw so much attention in even Port Angeles, where murders weren't as uncommon. One night, I even went all the way to Seattle, but I wasn't bothered doing that, usually.

One such night arrived. My eyes were coal black as I slid into my plain silver Chrysler 500, chosen because it was luxurious without being eye-catching, and was perfectly nondescript.

The drive to Port Angeles went quickly, the night rushing by me in perfect clarity. There was almost no traffic, and the rode was lonely, which suited me perfectly. I was a lonely creature now.

Once in Port Angeles, I found a parking space in front of one of the three bars, before locking the car and walking inside. Obviously, I could track the car if someone stole it, but it would inconvenience me greatly to have to go hunting after my car with a human girl in tow. I did not drink from males. Well, except Mike Newton, but that was revenge.

The bar smelled of smoke and alcohol, mixed with human body odour that was masked partially with the perfumes and deodorants that hung heavy in the air.

I made my way over to the bar and ordered a scotch on the rocks that I had no intention of drinking. I then settled to wait.

It didn't take long. Most humans naturally gravitated to us, with our looks, scent and voices; they just couldn't help it.

"You come here often?" said a female voice from behind me. I grinned before turning around.

She was average-sized, and I was pleased to see that I couldn't pick out her bones through her clothing. The skinny supermodels, whilst okay looking, were usually nutrient deficient, especially in iron, and that made their blood tasteless. She had deep brown hair tied back in a messy ponytail, and her eyes were wide and greenish-grey.

"No, I'm not from around here," I replied smoothly, the lie rolling off my tongue like melting honey. "Can I buy you a drink?"

She grinned. "I wouldn't say no to that."

It took a couple of hours, but soon I had Sarah—the names which she'd not had any qualms about revealing to me—stumbling to my car. She wasn't drunk, though she should have been, but she was certainly tipsy.

"Would you like to come back to my place?" she asked me.

I smirked. "Very much so," I said as I kissed her.

She tasted delicious.

I won't tell you what happened next. It was fairly obvious. Looking back, I'm ashamed of what I did to Sarah, to Mike, to the other victims of my sadness and blame. I had no right to play God and end any of their lives.

But, that night, all I thought about after leaving Sarah's small apartment was that my shirt was ruined, a small spot of blood on the collar.

I got into the car a couple of blocks away from the apartment, driving off into the night.

Three days passed as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Then something happened, something so momentous it could only be fate. Although, at the time, I just thought it would be my next dinner.

Isabella Swan came knocking.

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_Terribly sorry for the short length, which is why it's bundled with the preface, I promise, all of the chapters I've written are over 3000 words except this one._

_Hope you enjoyed!_

_ParamoreXD _


	3. Chapter 2

**Unexpected**

**By ParamoreXD**

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_**Chapter Two**_

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**Disclaimer: **_I do not own _Twilight. _If I did, Edward wouldn't exist, and Bella would be less whiny._

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Numbness.

That would best describe the feeling I was having. A blanketing, cloaking, numbness, which was, in its own way, comforting. It was far, far better than dealing with the emotions that lurked just over the horizon. Probably not better in the long run, but then, I didn't want to be there for the long run.

I was sitting on one of the craggy cliffs in La Push, with my legs hanging over the edge and the water roaring far below. I spent most of my time on the cliffs alone, now that school had finished; I didn't want to be around anyone, preferring my own company. It was easier that way.

The sky overhead was a dark grey, a combination of late afternoon and an impending rain storm. I checked my watch and realised that I should really be going back home so that I could have dinner ready for Charlie. He wouldn't mind if I didn't cook, but he would worry about me, and I wanted to keep him happy, even if I was not. It was probably a futile attempt, knowing that he was a lot more observant then he'd let on, but that wasn't going to stop me from trying.

I stood, wiping dust from my pants, walked back to my truck, climbing into the cab and closing the door, listening to the reassuring _thunk _as it closed. I was glad my truck was still functioning. It reminded me of a happier time, when I had a family, and a future. When I had a life.

My eyes fell on the dog-eared newspaper that lay on the passenger's side seat. It was the Forks weekly newspaper, run by the small printing shop on Main Street. It had received a boost in business as people clamoured to know about the murders that were taking place here.

Ever since the Cullens had left, there'd been a series of murders in Forks. Well, 'series' would probably be too strong a word. There were only three, but in a town of this size, it was major news. Three teenagers were dead, with no evidence, no sign of a break in, and all with a common modus operandi; all the corpses were drained of blood.

Of course, I knew what it was. Vampires.

I found it dreadfully ironic that rogue vampires came to town after the Cullens left. I'd never actually realised how big a part they played in our world. They walked on the outskirts, yet were thrust into the picture without anyone knowing. They were the world's greatest predators, and their best accomplishment was making the world forget they existed.

I was half-hoping there were vampires in Forks. In fact, I was both hoping and desperately fearing that it was Victoria. On one hand, Victoria would almost certainly kill me. My life had become a dark abyss, and I couldn't see a way out. I had lost an entire family, a whole life… There was nothing left for me.

On the other hand, Victoria did not like me, at all. In fact, she hated me, and would probably do her best to torture me until I was screaming for her to kill me…

I shuddered as the scenario ran through my head, and glanced around surreptitiously, expecting to see her flaming red hair as she stalked towards me…

I shuddered again and wrenched myself away from those thoughts, and into less scary—but just as painful—thoughts.

I thought about what Edward had done to me by leaving me. I was contemplating considering suicide because he told me he loved me, and then he left me. What Jasper had done wasn't his fault, but I still blamed him, because he was the catalyst to the end of my life.

But I blamed Edward the most because the stupid, stupid vampire would rather me be safe than stay with me. He was prepared to take away my family, my happiness, my life, because he thought he was protecting me. And I hated him for it.

But I loved him more. I still loved him, even though he left me. I was pathetic, utterly pathetic and as tears began splashing onto the steering wheel, I began sobbing.

I angrily wiped away the tears and started the truck, heading for home, the angry growls of the engine the only sound apart from the crashing waves in the dying light.

* * *

I was in the house cooking dinner—pork chops and vegetables—when I heard Charlie's cruiser pull into the driveway.

Living with dad was getting harder and harder. Now that I was spending all of my time in the house, I was incredibly glad that his job took him away five days a week, and his fishing for the other two. It was entirely too uncomfortable, too much of a chore for me to act normal around him, which sent me scurrying upstairs at seven o'clock at every night. I still cooked for him, and we still exchanged pleasantries, but the spark of our relationship was gone. It was as though when Edward had destroyed our relationship, he'd destroyed my relationships with everyone. He'd destroyed my entire life in one fell swoop.

Charlie was through the door and hanging up his belt by the time I was serving dinner, so that hopefully I could avoid all conversation whatsoever.

No such luck.

"Hey," he said, awkwardly, sitting down in his chair as I placed a plate of steaming food in front of him. "Thanks Bells."

I nodded and sat down, shovelling food into my mouth without a pause to be polite. I didn't want to stay here any longer than needed.

"Bella…" Charlie's tone told me that tonight it wouldn't be that easy.

I waited in silence as he coughed and started again. "Bella, have you been thinking about your future?" he asked, gruffly.

I chewed and swallowed, furiously thinking about a way to make this simple and quick as possible.

I nodded. "Yes."

He took this as a positive sign, and began to talk a bit less awkwardly. "Well, I was thinking, Bells, application ends soon, and you should really be starting on yours. I mean, I'm perfectly happy to help you, and it's your life, but I'd really—"

"You know what, dad?" I asked, standing up and taking my plate to the sink, and slamming them down. "It _is _my life. I know you're trying to help, but you know what? I'll do what I want. I've never been able to do that before in my life, and I'll do it now, got it?"

I walked out of the kitchen, as the Chief grunted an apology behind me. I was acting like a brat, but I had just snapped and channelled some of anger, fear and utter hopelessness at Charlie. It was only a fraction of what I was feeling and hurting Charlie like that didn't make me feel any better.

We didn't speak again that night, and as I lay in bed that night, listening to the rain thrash the trees outside the window, I let the tears slip out and cried myself to sleep.

It was the usual nightmare, a play by play of what had happened when Jasper had attacked, and as usual, I woke up at two in the morning gasping for air with yet more tears wet on my cheeks. It was well after four before I could get back to sleep.

The next day was a Saturday, and I slept in, which was unusual. Completely exhausted, I actually slept until eleven am, at which point I woke with a start. There was sunlight streaming in through the window, lighting up the swirling dust motes. I rolled over on my side and stared at them for a second, wondering what to do, before realising that I had work at eleven-thirty. I jumped up from bed and haphazardly pulled on clothes, dragging a brush through my hair whilst cleaning my teeth. I flew down the stairs in a hurry and grabbed a power bar from the kitchen.

I then dashed to my truck before doubling back to lock the house. I climbed into my truck, inserted the key and waiting impatiently for the old engine to rattle to life. Finally, I gunned it and set of down the road at the top speed of fifty miles per hour.

Following the death of their only child, the Newtons had decided they couldn't deal with the painful memories that the town held for them, and had packed up and relocated back to California. This, of course, meant that I was out of job. I was lucky though, because within a week I was able to get another job at the local supermarket. I wasn't the most sociable person, but I was a hard worker, and they were glad to continue my employment.

I didn't really think about Mike much, because, though it was incredibly selfish, I thought my problems were bigger. I was sad, of course; Mike was a great friend, and he _was _always trying to make me welcome. His death (along with the two others in Forks) had shaken our town to the core, and I was pretty sure I was the only one who knew what had happened to him. Not that I could say anything to anyone. I highly doubt Charlie would believe me if I told him there was a vampire hunting around Forks. He'd probably think I was hallucinating out of despair.

Although, I did feel better today. Maybe it was the fact that the sun was shining, maybe it was the fact that I had work for six hours and that was six hours less that I'd have to myself and my own thoughts, but everything seemed a little bit better. No doubt the mood was not going to last very long, but I was planning to enjoy it while I could.

My friends had completely fallen by the wayside in the wake of Edward's departure. Not that I talked to any of them much anyway—except Angela and Ben. But even they eventually stopped calling. I had better things to do; namely, be with Edward. I was glad that I didn't have any friends anymore, though. I wasn't planning on having a long life, and if the only person who missed me was Charlie, I would be okay with that. I hated how I hurt him over and over, and my final act would probably hurt him further.

I shook away those thoughts as I entered the parking-lot of the supermarket. There'd be plenty of time to dwell on my fate after I'd finished working.

Work went quickly, far too quickly for my liking, and soon enough it was five-thirty and I was finished.

"Can't I do another couple of hours work?" I asked my supervisor, Mr Morrison. "You don't even have to pay me."

Mr Morrison grinned. "Why, do you want to spend more time with me?" he asked, winking.

I rolled my eyes at the thought. Mr Morrison was an overweight forty-six year old. But I humoured him and nodded.

"I'm sorry, Bella. We're closing early tonight because it's pretty quiet. Everyone's gone in half an hour, so there's no point in staying around. You're next shift is Monday, right?"

I nodded, and with a resigned sigh, I clocked off. I shoved my hands into my sweater as I strode out into the parking lot, the warmth of the day quickly leeched from the air as the sky began to darken. I shivered as I opened my truck door, turning on the ignition and waiting for the ancient conditioning system to heat up the cab. Switching on the headlights, I swung out of the parking-lot and then onto the street.

* * *

It was twilight outside the window, the time that was once magic for me, but now served to remind me how much I lost. I didn't waste any time looking at the sky as it turned beautiful shades of purple, golden and orange.

The route I took from home to work and back again went along the road that the Cullens' driveway branched off of. Over the past couple of months, the encroaching vegetation had swallowed the driveway, and it was difficult to find in the dying light.

I wasn't entirely sure why, but suddenly I needed to see the house again. Perhaps it would give me closure or something, but I needed to see it one last time. Even if he didn't exist there anymore.

I could just see the beginning of the dirt path, and ended up tearing through the vegetation with my truck. The rest of the track was pretty clear as I followed in through the winding trees. The meadow was overgrown, the grass high on either sides of the track. It looked like it had been abandoned for years, not a couple of months.

The house itself, illuminated by my headlights—the light was nearly gone—was faring a little better. The paint was dirty in some places, and some of the windows smashed, but was overall still pretty good.

I stopped the truck in front of it, turning off the ignition and slamming the door shut. Wrapping my arms around me, I walked over to the veranda, tromping up the silent, well-worn stairs. The veranda cast the front of the house in deep shadow. It was creepy, and I almost laughed at the irony. The house was only scary _after _the vampires were gone.

I shook my head and walked up to the door. It wasn't closed, as I had expected, but was actually open a little bit. I pushed on it lightly, and it creaked open, swinging on un-oiled hinges. I pushed it all the way open and walked inside.

I was not prepared for the residual memories that crashed into me as I walked through the door.

_Edward, kissing me as I stood on my toes right in this spot._

_Watching television with his family as he cradled me on his lap._

_Us talking as we sat on the stairs._

_His smile._

_His laugh._

_Him._

The tears came almost immediately as I wiped my eyes and sniffled. The spectacular sunset was easily viewable through the panoramic view of the single sheet of plate-glass. It threw the features of the house into shadowy but viewable detail.

Most of the furniture was gone, just a few pieces—a dusty couch, the big table—remaining. The crystal chandelier hung in the shadows of the ceiling, and the floors were dusty. There was nothing left, really, and it finally brought home the fact that they were gone, _really _gone; they were never coming back.

..._What was that?_

In the corner. There was something, hidden in the darkness just by the window.

Two eyes gleamed in the darkness.

My heart leapt into my throat as I turned with a gasp and ran for the door. I wasn't quick enough, though, of course. Not by a long shot. So quickly I didn't even see it, the figure was there, barring the way. I stopped, rocking back on my heels, and began to step backwards, not daring to turn around. I was almost certainly doomed. There was someone else in there with me, and they weren't human. No human could run that quickly.

The figure walked forward slowly, matching my pace, and its footsteps carried it out into the light. With his eyes now closed, he took one more step and Jasper Hale entered the light.

An itchy feeling of shock, a bolt of terror, and finally, a wave of relief passed through me, one after the other, as Jasper smiled, feeling my emotions with the curious talent of his.

"Jasper," I said, starting forward. "Jasper, I'm so glad to see—"

I froze as he opened his eyes, and I looked into their depths. His irises were a pale crimson, darkening to black around the edges, but this wasn't what terrified me the most, though that was certainly part of it. What terrified me was that they were completely, horrifically blank, like a wiped computer. There was nothing there; no anger, pain, sadness, nothing light either. They were utterly blank.

And I realised I was in trouble.

No doubt he blamed me for what happened, and I supposed he was right to do so. It _was _my fault, just as much it was his. The house was deserted, that much was obvious. Why was he here, alone? And why was he drinking human blood?

I suddenly knew what was killing those people. It wasn't Victoria, or some vampire. It was Jasper.

"J-Jasper?" I said, swallowing to keep my tone even. "Are you—"

I didn't see him move, but suddenly I was flying through the air, to suddenly crash into the floor and most likely bruising my back. Nothing seemed broken, but it was so painful. Worse still, was the terror that was thick in my throat, choking me as I struggled to breathe.

He was suddenly over me, his head at my neck as he inhaled the scent of my neck. So he was going to drink my blood. His eyes closed again, he smiled as he bent down.

Half a dozen emotions washed over me, but the last one was the one that surprised me the most: Forgiveness. I was going to forgive him for killing me, because, really, this was within his nature. I was the fragile human who intruded into his world, not the other way around, and I realised in that instant that I couldn't blame him for this. It wasn't fair.

I closed my eyes as I waited for the end to come...

There was a sudden breeze, and then an almighty _smashing _sound. Cold air caressed my skin as I opened my eyes in surprise. Why wasn't I dead now?

The last of the light faded as I stood up, running to the faint rectangle that was the doorway. The light-switch on the right side of the door was my object. Jasper was nowhere to be found, and as I flicked the light on, the chandelier lit up, revealing the room in blazing yellow light.

There was a huge hole in the right side of the glass wall, cracks running away from it until it hit the ceiling. At the last minute, Jasper had thrown himself away from me and out the window. He was nowhere to be seen.

_But why?_

I didn't have an answer.

I got in my truck and left, counting myself lucky that I was still alive.

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_Hope you enjoyed._


	4. Chapter 3

**Unexpected**

**By ParamoreXD**

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_**Chapter Three**_

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**26.03.2011: **_Hey guys. As most of you know, I'm reposting old chapters on a roughly weekly basis. I haven't updated recently because fanfiction's not letting me, for some reason (you'd think that if it was their core service, they'd hurry up and get it fixed as quick as possible, but...). I've written chapters five, six, and seven (six was seven thousand words long, so I'm planning to split it in half), and they'll be posted too. Thank you for sticking with me through this, and I'm sorry for the wait/old chapters. I'm being unfair, and I hope you can forgive me._

_Now, on with the chapter._

* * *

My mind went blank as I flew down the stairs silently and inhumanely. Isabella Swan was in my house, and I was going to make her pay for what she did to me.

She was standing, framed, in the doorway, looking around at the house. She was breathing heavily, and sniffling, and she was sorrowful, despair radiating off of her in thick waves. Probably remembering my brother. Her heart was beating like thunder in my ear.

Her heart, sending delicious blood coursing through her body…

My mouth came alive as venom flowed into it, and I stood in the corner, waiting for her to see me. This was a game of cat and mouse, and I was going to enjoy terrifying her before killing and draining her.

It took a while before she finally spotted me. I knew when she did because she gasped and brought her hand up to her face, and her emotions changed abruptly from sadness to sheer terror. She turned, and ran for the door.

She wasn't quick enough, of course. It took me less than half a second to cross the gigantic room to stand in the doorway directly in front of her. She stopped, rocking back on her heels, and froze for a moment, before slowly stepping backwards without turning.

I matched her pace, stalking my prey, well aware that if I kept walking, she'd be able to see who I was. I closed my eyes, smiling, as I felt her abject terror wash over me like a blanket.

I stepped out into the light, and she froze again. Her mood went crazy, flickering through several different emotions: shock, terror and then, finally, relief. Obviously she didn't think I was going to kill her.

"Jasper," she said, her voice hoarse, before taking a tentative step forward. "Jasper, I'm so glad to see—"

My eyes snapped open at the sound of her voice, and she stopped, looking into them with shock. We stood there for a second as she realised what my crimson irises meant, and what that in turn meant for her.

"J-Jasper?" she stuttered, her throat working reflexively. "Are you—"

I was tired of hearing her voice. So quickly that it was probably just a blur to her, I thrust my hand out, palm up, into her chest. The force of my blow lifted her off the ground, flinging her a couple of meters before she crashed into the floor with a dull thump. She struggled to rise from the ground as I ran over to her, bending down over her neck. Her warm, pale skin did little to mask the pale blue colour of her jugular vein, which pulsed invitingly underneath her skin.

She had given up trying to escape me; she lay on the floor completely still with her eyes closed. Her emotions were anything but still, though. They fluttered like the wings of a butterfly, through terror, shock, anger. There were lighter emotions, too. Ones I was surprised to feel. Acceptance, love, and the most shocking: forgiveness.

She was forgiving me for ending her life, even as I was doing it. And it was then that I remembered my life from before, the utter terror of my victims as I killed them. I was a monster, and I was reverting to it now. Even though I hated Isabella Swan, I owed it to my family—to Edward—to keep her safe.

I didn't even think as I flung myself away from her body, the shattering of glass against my back as I crashed through the window that spanned the back of the room. I hit the ground in a roll, and sprung up, racing into the trees in the back of the yard.

I didn't stop running until I approached Olympia, the scent of Bella still caught in my throat. I needed to drink, and quickly, lest I turn around and hunt _her_ again. And I wouldn't do that to Edward.

I stopped just in the tree line, brushing glass, leaves and dirt off of my clothes before attempting to fix my collar. When I deemed myself presentable, I stepped from the tree line and onto the street. It was twilight, the sky overhead a deep orange and the streetlights on. One-storey houses lined one side of the street, with tall, grimy buildings on the other.

There were a few people milling around, walking on both sides of the street, carrying shopping bags. Some chatted on mobile phones.

I spotted my victim at the end of the street. She was walking in the opposite direction, her back to me, and she had a couple of plastic bags in her grip. I could see a light-blue carton of eggs through one of them.

I jogged at an acceptable human pace towards her, making sure to breathe. I hadn't breathed at all on the entire way here, and I was uncomfortably aware of the wrong feeling of the action.

"Excuse me," I said, tapping her on the shoulder.

"Yes?" she said, turning around. There was mild irritation present in her mood. Almost subconsciously, I did two things: I manipulated her emotions to make her more accepting, and I turned on the charm.

"I was wondering if you could help me," I said, my voice rhythmic and musical, making my faint accent more pronounced. "I need to use a phone…?"

"Uh, sure," she said, blinking, with an almost dazed look on her face. She was very attractive, with chestnut-brown hair and brown eyes. There was a hair-band in her hair, bright green and striped. She reached into her pocket, intent on drawing out her phone. I still her with a touch of my hand.

"I was rather hoping…" I leaned in and breathed in her ear. "That you would let me use your _home _phone."

She blinked again, and I feared she wasn't going to fall for it. Then her eyes clouded, and she turned around. "Sure. Follow me."

Her mood was complacency mixed with lust. I followed her down the street, neither of us speaking, and then for the next ten minutes she turned several streets, before stopping in front of a small apartment building. She pushed the door open, releasing the faint rattle of air-conditioner and the noise of a television. The slightly stale scent of filtered air assaulted my senses as we stepped inside.

She crossed through the lobby up the stairs, an out of order sign on the elevator door explaining her choice. She went up to the second floor, before crossing to the apartment marked _6. _

"What's your name?" I asked her as I stopped inside the apartment.

"Vanessa," she breathed. "And you?"

"Jasper."

I leant in and pressed my lips to hers. She relaxed, dropping the shopping bags to the floor. I struck out one hand and closed the door, before wrapping both my arms around her and leading her to the couch. She smelt delicious, and as my nose ghosted along her neck, I slowly took in the scent of her skin.

"Jasper," she whispered, as I exacerbated her emotions. Mind altering drugs ain't got nothing on me. I grinned against her skin, before looking up into her eyes. I would be the very last thing she saw.

She looked down at me, her pupils slightly dilated, her lips very red. She had brown eyes. Deep, brown eyes, like…

_Fuck._

And I knew I couldn't do it. With an inarticulate cry of rage, I picked her up, and dropped her onto the couch next to me. Then I stood up, straightened my shirt, and walked out of the apartment.

"Jasper?" she called after me as I slammed the door shut so hard the wall shook. I ignored her.

Walking outside, I dashed at human pace towards the forest, before flooring it when I reached the safety of the trees. I ran through the woods parallel to the main highway which would eventually lead to Forks, branches whipping me as I passed though like everything else in this life, it felt wonderful.

I was angry. No, I was furious. Isabella Swan had single-handedly ruined my meal, _again._ With another howl of rage that sent birds wheeling and screeching into the air, I diverged from the highway, heading deeper into the woods.

There was a small herd of deer about thirty kilometres from the road, and I dove on the buck, pinning him underneath me as my teeth unerringly sought the jugular. The blood was thin and not very appetising after my diet of rich human blood, but I drank from the animal anyway, my irrational anger dulling a little, though not by much. I caught another three deer and drained them before finally feeling full, if not totally satisfied.

I pushed the last carcass off of me and leapt to my feet, cleaning deer blood off of my face with water from the stream that was gently trickling by. I then headed back to Forks, arriving in ten minutes. I wrenched the door open and stomped inside, ignoring the large hole in the window-wall. I went straight for Alice's and my bedroom, but a gleam of light in the hallway stopped me. I turned and looked at it.

It was a full-length mirror, dusty with grime from the three months since someone who cared lived here. I wiped away the grime and stared at myself. My eyes were a dull crimson, flecked with a faint yellow, evidence of my recent meal. My clothing was rumpled and creased, and I looked…

I blinked. I looked evil. Like a vampire. Like the thing I had tried desperately to shy away from for the last half a century.

My lips quirked. How easily I reverted to my old ways after decades of perseverance with this life-style. Was it ever really worth it? Alice didn't want me. No one wanted me.

Still, I knew Esme and Carlisle loved me, in their own way. Emmett was the epitome of a laid-back older brother, and Rosalie had always been the one who knew the most about what I was going through. Edward… well, Edward had always been the very upright one in our family. He was still my brother though, and I wasn't going to let him down by killing the one thing he loved more then us.

Alice was my whole life… until she walked out of it without a second glance. I had nothing left, now. Nothing at all.

I lay in bed for several days after that, thinking about my future. About what I was going to do without Alice or the name of Cullen. I still wasn't sure if I was going to chose to stay to their diet, or revert to my old ways, the normal ways… Now that I had a little animal blood in my system, I began remembering why I changed my diet in the first place. I was killing people. People. Humans. What I used to be. What I sometimes wished I was.

But, if I had stayed human, I would never have met Alice. She was born a hundred-odd years after I was.

The fact that I had lived for more than two hundred years still occasionally struck me with its significance. And the fact that I could remember most of it still astounded me.

I remembered very little of my human life. I remember with perfect clarity the night I was turned, but apart from that, I remembered little else. I barely remembered my mother; my father was a complete blank. I'd had a brother, and a sister. They were both younger than me by several years; I don't remember how many. We'd all had blond hair and blue eyes.

Sometimes I wondered what it would have been like if I hadn't met Maria, Nettie and Lucy that night. Would I have survived the war? Perhaps been made a general. Certainly, met a woman and had children. Would it have been a good life? Would I have been an honourable man?

I would never know now.

Unlike the rest of our family, though—especially Rosalie and Edward—I had never for a second regretted becoming a vampire. I regretted killing those hundreds of defenceless humans and newborns, but I never regretted what I had become. Feared, loathed it, but never regretted it. Because it had led me to Alice and the Cullens. I had found the love of my life, and an entire family. But now that was gone.

What was I going to do?

I _did _know that I was never going back to the South. Never again would I participate in the endless petty feuds that existed there. Never again would I play God; deciding whether one of my kind would live or die. There was a reason we shouldn't be allowed to do that. It made us monsters, less than civilised. Essentially, we lost our humanity. I had no desire to go back to that.

I decided that I needed to get out of the house; to get away from my own thoughts. The only way I could do that was to go for a run.

I loved running. I was perhaps not as good as Edward, who could move his legs at such a blinding speed that even me, a two hundred year old vampire, had trouble keeping up. But there was nothing else in the world that compared to the feeling of wind whistling around you, of barely touching the ground, of making no noise as you almost flew.

I decided to go to Port Angeles. The sunset was beautiful there, and it was hard to feel bad when looking at it. I figured that I would take a detour for dinner on the way there. I had decided to stick to the vegetarian way of life. I didn't want to prove Alice right, in the end.

It was five o'clock when I left, the sky just beginning to darken. It took me half an hour to get to Port Angeles, including the detour I took on the way to feast on a very surprised female mountain lion, which must have been very, very lost.

My meal put me in high spirits, and I felt better than I had in days, especially since my eyes were starting to dilute. They were an orangey colour, which I caught sight of in a reflective glass front of a store.

I walked along to pier, dropping lightly off of it onto the sand before settling therewith my knees drawn up to my chest, and my arms around them. I then looked across the bay.

The sunset was beautiful, of course. Seeing calmed me a little, because it assured me that life does go on, that not everything was set in stone. It sent faint sparkles along my skin, and I drew myself into the shadows.

The sun had just set beneath the horizon when I first felt it.

It was a feeling that sent me abruptly to my feet, and I spun around, looking wildly for the source. It didn't match the calm, peaceful atmosphere, because it was complete, blinding, unthinking terror.

It bombarded against me as I tried to insulate myself against the feeling. It drove me up the pier, desperately following it. I needed to know why a resident of Port Angeles was experiencing the terror that sent people insane.

It led me up the main road, and I struggled to keep at a human pace, settling for a run that would have any Olympic sprinter nervous.

I rounded the corner into a tight, narrow alleyway that didn't smell too great. Plastic bags filled with rubbish and metal bins overflowed onto the cracked and stained concrete, but I leaped over them without an issue. I hit the ground running as I dropped all pretences of humanity, racing down the next—thankfully abandoned—street at speeds that would have shamed a Ferrari.

The feeling was getting stronger as I was getting closer, until it was all consuming, before it abruptly shut off. So abruptly, in fact, that I stopped in the middle of the road in confusion.

Where had it gone? I was just about to turn around, to go back home, when I heard the quiet sobbing.

It was coming from just up the road, and now that I concentrated on it, I could hear the heavy breathing of several other people. The sobbing was what struck me though, because it was so familiar, I just couldn't place my finger on it…

I ran down the street, which was in an industrial area, my sneakers making no sound against the concrete. It took me less than five seconds to come across them.

There was a group of four men, surrounding a fifth, who had a small figure with long brown hair pinned against the wall. She was the source of the sobbing.

"Don't, please stop…" she whispered brokenly.

"Why, you're the one who came to us!" the man holding her said in a disgustingly bright voice. "Why won't you stay and play?"

He pushed her face to the side with one hand, and I saw her face.

And then I saw red.

Because the woman was Isabella Swan.

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed, as usual. _

_ParamoreXD_


	5. Chapter 4

**Unexpected**

**By ParamoreXD**

* * *

_**Chapter Four**_

* * *

_So, this is the last reposted chapter. I'm working busily away on the rest of the story, so I hope you enjoy it. _

_I'm pretty sure this story will have around twenty chapters (I've planned out 13 so far), so I'll be doing a full length story for once. _

_Thanks for your continued support, and new material coming your way within a fortnight._

_Oh, I've also gone through and edited the previous chapters to hopefully make it a bit more cohesive. Nothing huge, I promise._

* * *

The short drive home to Charlie's house was filled with my confused thoughts and feelings. On one hand, I was very, very glad to be alive. I was one hundred percent positive that Jasper was going to kill me.

I was also glad that it wasn't Victoria. Victoria was vicious, cruel, vindictive and nasty. Jasper… well, I don't really know what Jasper is, but if he'd been with the Cullens for fifty years, he couldn't be all that bad.

On the other hand, even though Jasper hadn't killed me, he had perfectly intended to. I don't know why he didn't, I don't know why he had thrown himself away at the last second. My death had been so close it was tangible, but now that it had and I'd come out the other side still alive, I realised something: I did not _want _to die. Faced with something that was almost a given, I'd realised that I had no desire to end my life. It may be a bleak hole, but I could always hope it could get better. But I have to, have to get away from this town. There are too many memories to stay.

I arrived home, all lights on the ground floor of Charlie's house blazing. I shut the truck door quietly, and then walked up to the porch, inserting the key into the door and unlocking it before pulling it open.

Charlie was standing on the threshold.

"Charlie?"

"Oh, Bells," he said, and then, surprisingly, he hugged me.

"Uh, dad…?" I said, trying to wriggle away. My father _didn't hug._ This was exceedingly out of character for him, and I was scared to know what was making him that way.

He stood back quickly and cleared his throat. For the first time, I noticed that he still had his uniform on, and even more alarming, his gun was still in its holster.

"Dad, what's wrong?" I asked with a sense of urgency. "Why're you still wearing your gun?"

"I was going to go out and look for you," Charlie said, gruffly, turning and walking back down the hallway. He hung up his gun as normal.

I was surprised. "Me? Why?" I asked.

"Do you know what time it is?" Charlie asked, without answering.

I looked at the clock on the wall. _Oh. _It was three hours since I'd finished work.

"With all the murders around Forks, I was…" He cleared his throat.

"Oh, dad," I said, sighing. My father cared for me, deeply, and the last thing I'd said to him was essentially, I didn't want to have him in my life. My heart thudded as I realised that it almost _was _the last thing I would ever say to Charlie. I shivered.

He nodded and walked into the living room and I followed him.

"Have you eaten dinner?" I asked him, leaning against the door-frame as Charlie sat in his favourite arm-chair and switched the television on.

"No," he said. "I was about to go out looking for you."

I nodded. "Okay, well, I'm going to go cook, then."

"Thanks, Bells."

I busied myself with preparing dinner, avoiding the thoughts that were swirling in my head like a brook.

Dinner went quickly, Charlie scoffing down his food in about five minutes flat. I ate a little slower, but my activities that afternoon left me starving.

When I had taken Charlie's dishes to the sink, and filled up the sink with hot water. Turning around, I took a deep breath, and started speaking.

"Charlie…" I said, unsure of how to phrase this. "I'm… sorry. I'm sorry for the way I treated you last night. It wasn't fair. You were just trying to help me, and I threw it back in your face." A lump formed in my throat. I was never good at expressing myself, a trait that I shared with my father. "Dad, I love you… but I can't stay here, in this town. I can't even stay around here. There are too many memories. I want to go to college, just to get away from it all. And, afterwards, I probably won't come back… at least, not for a while. I'm sorry, but I have to do this myself."

It was silent in the room for a couple of minutes as Charlie digested this. I held my breath.

"Bella, if it's what you need to do, I can't really fault you. I'm sorry that bastard did what he did, and I wish that I could change that for you." He cleared his throat. "But I can't, so I have to let you do what you can to feel better, because I love you Bella. So, don't worry about me. I'll be okay."

Tears welled up in my eyes and I sniffed, unused to feeling such an emotion. The Edward-tide was far away from the shore that night, which was odd, especially considering what I was doing just a few short hours ago. "Thank you, dad."

He nodded. "'S okay," he said gruffly. "Now, go relax. I'll do the dishes."

I nodded, and walked out of the kitchen pausing on the way. An idea had just occurred to me.

"Dad?" I asked, without turning around. "I was thinking of going to Port Angeles on Wednesday. I think it would be good to get away from it all, just for a couple of hours. Is that okay?"

Charlie turned around, and I was surprised to see that he was smiling. "Of course that's okay, Bells."

I nodded and walked out of room.

* * *

The next four days went pretty quickly. I used Sunday as an opportunity to catch up on the housework I'd been sadly neglecting for the last couple of weeks. I worked for the other three of them and, armed with my shopping list, got in my truck and went to Port Angeles.

It had rained earlier and the air was pleasantly cool as I pulled into the parking lot of the supermarket. Walking around in the supermarket, while supremely trivial, was comforting in its mundaneness. I was actually enjoying myself, which surprised me, because I never thought I'd experience joy again.

After I payed for the groceries, I piled them into the passenger's side seat of my truck, before setting off along the pier on foot, filled with nostalgia. It was here, two years ago, that Edward revealed to me what he was.

The memory hurt. Hurt me badly, but I swallowed thickly, burying my pain. Perhaps when I leave Forks, I'll go see a psychiatrist. I did not want to deal with it now. I turned away from the pier.

I wasn't watching where I was going, preoccupied with my thoughts of Edward, and my life, and in ten minutes I found myself in the industrial park where I'd found myself two years ago. I turned around, intending to go back the way I came, but as I rounded, I saw that a lone figure was standing on the footpath, blocking the exit ten meters away. He wasn't moving.

_Oh no. No no no no no. Not again. This can't possibly happen again. What are the _odds?

The man began walking towards me, and I turned, intent on going quickly in the opposite direction.

I let out a gasp when I came face to face with a man not three feet from me.

I rocked back on my heels as he grinned with mismatched, tobacco-stained teeth.

"Well well well," he said, his voice surprisingly pleasant. "What do we have here?"

* * *

There were four of them, surrounding the guy who spoke to me. He was the ringleader and, as he put it, 'he had first dibs'.

Of the four of them, one was Hispanic, one was pale enough to rival a vampire, and the other two were so similar they looked like they were twins. They all looked a little uneasy, but did nothing to stop the main man, who pushed me up against a wall by the chin.

I won't lie; I was completely and utterly terrified. After my close encounter with Jasper five days ago, I'd realised that I _liked _living, that I had no desire to end my life. And even if these men didn't kill me after they had finished with me, I strongly suspected that I would wish they would have done so.

The man had his body pressed against mine, keeping me upright, while his hand forced my chin up so I had to look into his merciless black eyes.

"Don't, please stop…" I whispered out hoarsely, suddenly realising that I was sobbing.

"Why, you're the one who came to us!" the man said in a happy voice that sickened me to my stomach. "Why won't you stay and play?"

I couldn't believe what had happened. What were the odds of this happening _twice _in a row? It was inconceivable, and impossible that it should happen again. But it had, and this time, I realised, Edward wasn't going to be around to save me.

I stopped experiencing terror at this point, and resigned myself to my fate. It would please this man even more if I was terrified and I showed it, so I went limp and closed my eyes.

The next few things happened very quickly.

I heard someone run up to the group, before a slight pause. There was a muttered "What", and silence, before a sharp crack like bones breaking, and a horrible scream.

I wrenched my eyelids open at the noise, and watched in stunned silence as a white…_blur…_threw on of the group against the wall of one of the industrial parks. He hit with a sickening thump and crashed to the ground. He didn't move. The next man tried to run, but the blur tackled him to the ground and broke his neck, before rounding on the fourth. He slowed down enough for me to see, and with a start, I realised that it was Jasper Hale.

The relief that washed through me was incomparable as he punched the last of the men besides the ringleader through the chest. Several cracks echoed through his clothes, and a trickle of blood dripped out of his mouth as he dropped with a wet gurgle.

Jasper then rounded on the ringleader. He stared at the vampire with horrified eyes as he witnessed four of his friends killed without mercy, and realised that he was next.

"No! It's okay, dude! We weren't gonna do nothin' to her! We was just gonna play around a bit!" He pointed at me. "I swear, she consented!"

He turned and ran down the road, ignoring the bodies of him friends, and Jasper stood still for a couple of seconds. Just as the man was about to round the corner, Jasper flew down the street and tackled him to the pavement, breaking his neck with a nauseating snapping sound.

I was shocked almost to immobility, but wrenched my gaze from the horrible sight of the corpses and dashed down the opposite direction, towards the people and the pier.

I didn't get far before Jasper appeared in front of me.

He may have killed the people who had intended to do disgusting, unthinkable acts with me, but I realised with horror that his blood lust had not abated. He was going to kill me too, even if it was unconsciously.

Still, if I had to die—and the Fates seemed to really, _really _want that—I would prefer it to be at the hands of one of the Cullens.

I closed my eyes, and again, I forgave him for what he was going to do.

I waited, almost for an entire minutes, for him to pounce, but he didn't. Disconcerted, I opened my eyes to see him still standing in the same position, his eyes closed and the fingers of his left hand clamped over the bridge of his nose. He looked so much like Edward in the moment that my heart broke.

"_Do you know," _he said through gritted teeth, and I jumped slightly, startled. _"How much effort it's taking me not to shred you from limb to limb right now?"_

I was silent, but it seemed to be a rhetorical question, so it was okay.

"_Why," _he asked, still in the same pained tone of voice. "Do you _insist _on putting yourself into these types of situations? Do you _like _almost being killed?"

I didn't like his tone, so I retorted, "It wouldn't matter, anyone. No one would care."

He growled at me, a low, menacing noise that would have sent most running for cover. His eyes opened and I saw that the black had faded slightly from the edges, leaving a curious orange colour behind.

_He's been drinking animal blood again, _I realised.

"Don't you _ever _say something so stupid again," he hissed out, before reaching out and grabbing my arm. His grip was uncomfortably tight.

He began to drag me out of the industrial park, towards the lights and sound of people.

"Where are you taking me?" I said, trying to worm my way out of his grip without apparent success.

"Home, so you don't get into any more trouble." His tone was harsh and I quailed as he glared back at me.

He dragged me all the way back to the truck, made sure I got in, and then melted into the shadows. I knew he was watching me, so I started up the Chevvy and put it into gear, heading back into Forks.

Charlie was asleep by the time I got home, so I quickly loaded the groceries into the fridge and cabinets, before heading upstairs to the bathroom. I cleaned my teeth, twice, before realising that I was avoiding going into my room. I knew in my heart what I was going to find in there, and I was scared.

Sure enough, I found Jasper standing, with his arms folded, by the window. He turned around and stuck his head outside as I came in.

"Sorry," he said quietly, the cold tone gone from his voice. "The smell of your room…"

"Oh, no, that's okay. I understand," I said, taking advantage of his turned back to quickly get out of my clothes and change into my pyjamas.

I slid under the covers of my bed, before switching off the light coming from the lamp on my night-stand. The only light came from the moon outside the window, which gave Jasper's skin an unearthly pallor.

"So…" I said, struggling for the right words. "Why are you here?"

His tone was cold again. "Because you can't seem to stay out of trouble yourself, and keeping you safe is the least I can do for Edward after what happened."

I shrunk under the blow of his words. He must have sensed my mood, because when he spoke again, his voice was a tad warmer.

"And because…you don't seem to be doing so well on your own, and whilst I don't fault Edward, I don't think what he did was right to you, though I know that he did it for genuine enough reasons. And also, after what happened, well…Edward's not the only person I owe."

"Oh," I said, nodding even though he couldn't see me. "So… you're going to stay with me? But, what about Alice?"

He stiffened. "Just go to sleep," he said, though it wasn't unkind.

I decided that I'd best save my questions for the morning. "Okay, well…goodnight, Jasper."

"Good night, Isabella."

I fell asleep staring at his shoulders bathed in the moonlight. And for once, it was a comforting, dreamless sleep free of the worries that had been plaguing me since Edward left.

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed the chapter._


	6. Chapter 5

**Unexpected**

**By ParamoreXD**

* * *

_**Chapter Five**_

* * *

_Right, we're back up to speed with a new chapter._

_I've updated early because you've been so good to me. Hope you enjoy. I won't be updating until next Friday._

_This chapter isn't proofread. When I've finished the story, I'll most likely go over it and edit it, since my writing style is ever-changing. _

* * *

When I awoke that morning, utterly refreshed, for once, Jasper was still standing by my window, in exactly the same position as he was the night before. I had a feeling he'd been in the same position all night.

"Good morning," I said, yawning and stretching. He turned around to face me, and for once, he didn't look hostile.

"Good morning. How'd you sleep?"

"Great, actually." The next sentence was kind of awkward. "You didn't…leave…did you?"

A mere suggestion of a smile around his mouth. "I didn't move an inch."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"So, what are we going to do today?" I asked, climbing out of the bed and going to the wardrobe.

"Well…have you applied for college yet?" Jasper said, frowning. I suddenly wondered if he'd ever been to college.

"Have you ever gone to college?" I asked him.

He frowned. "Once. It was… Dartmouth. In 1934."

1934. The man in front of me, despite looking only twenty years old, was over two hundred. It utterly boggled my mind.

"Do you think you would… come to college with me?"

He frowned. "We'll see."

Not exactly reassuring. But I'd take it.

"I should really do the submissions today. I promised Charlie I would."

He nodded. "I'll help you, if you want."

I smiled at him, before stepping out of the room and going to bathroom, where I showered and brushed my teeth. When I came out, Jasper was gone from the room. I shrugged and walked down the stairs to the kitchen.

Jasper was standing against the sink, the glow from the sunshine coming out the window sending faint sparkles across his skin.

My breath caught in my throat. Another reminder of Edward.

"Uh…would you mind moving?" I asked, clearing my throat.

He must have known what I was thinking, as he stared at me with unreadable eyes. He nodded, and stepped aside from the window, into the shadow of the kitchen.

"I don't know why we sparkle," he muttered under his breath. "It makes no evolutionary sense whatsoever, and makes us stand out a hell of a lot."

It was the most human thing he'd said so far, and it made me feel a little bit more at ease.

I looked at his eyes. They were a dark crimson, almost black, with golden flecks in them. He'd drunk from an animal recently, which made me a feel better. I was about ninety-eight percent sure this wasn't an elaborate plot to kill me, but even so…

He seemed to read my mind again.

"I'm going to go hunting," he said. "I'll go out the back into the forest, so that I can avoid the humans."

I nodded. I'd suspected as much.

"You will come back, though…"My abandonment issues were floating back to the surface.

Jasper nodded, and said, "I'll be back in exactly an hour." I glanced at the digital clock on top of the microwave. It was 9:23.

"Okay," I said, and before I knew it, he was gone. Trying to ignore the familiar abandonment issues that were bubbling to the surface, I placed a piece of toast in the toaster and got the jam out of the fridge.

After buttering and thickly applying a coat of jam to each of my pieces of toast, I put them onto a plate and took them into the living room. I plopped down on the couch, and with the remote, turned the television on.

"…_No further clues as to the identity of the Washington Vampire," _the pretty blonde reporter was saying. They'd called the killer (who I now knew to be Jasper) the _Washington Vampire, _in reference to the blood that was drained from their bodies. They had no idea just how accurate the title was, and I resolved to talk to Jasper about that the first opportunity I got.

I washed up my bowl and set it on the drainer, before taking a long, relaxing shower. I glanced at the clock in the hallway and saw that I still had a half an hour to go.

I sighed and went to my room, booting up the computer. Eight months ago, my begging had worn on Charlie, and he'd upgraded our internet connection. Therefore, whilst my computer took ten minutes to boot up, my internet was lightning fast.

I logged into my email, staring guiltily at my inbox, messages of concern from my friends and my mother. The latest email was dated a week ago, by my mother.

I opened it up and started to read.

_Bella—_

_I'm still writing to you in hope that you'll answer me. I've talked to Charlie numerous times on the phone, and he tells me that you're surviving. He's scared Bella, and so am I. I miss you desperately, and wish I could be with you during this time, but I can't. I wish that you could find it within yourself to email me back, though of course I don't blame you when you don't. Again, I miss you. Please email me, and even if you don't, know that I send you my love._

_Love, Mom._

I blinked back unexpected tears. I was hurting everyone around me the same way that Edward hurt me. I might not be over him, but I could at least put on a happy face for my parents and my friends.

I spent twenty minutes composing an email to my mother, promising myself that I would respond to the others tomorrow. After I'd clicked the _send _button, I glanced down at the clock on the computer. _10:22._

I shut down the computer before walking slowly down the stairs, worried that Jasper wouldn't be there, that he decided to ditch me again. My fears were unfounded, though, because he was standing in my kitchen, his arms full of papers, in exactly the same position as he was before he left.

I resisted the urge to run up and throw my arms around him, opting instead to give him a brief smile. He stared at me for a minute, before his lips twitched slightly at the corners.

I took this as a positive action, and sat down on the table. He took the seat opposite from me, unprompted, and lay the papers down on the counter in a neat pile.

"Those are college applications?" I asked, gesturing to the pile. He nodded.

"I think Charlie will be pleased if you did some today," he said in his pleasant bass. "I've also decided…I'll come with you."

A huge weight floated off of my shoulders as I signed in relief. He was coming with me, he wasn't abandoning me…

"Calm down," he noted, a vague smile on his face. "I didn't propose to you."

"I know, I know, I just…" I exhaled in happiness.

Jasper went rigid, and very precisely, stood up, turned, and walked out of the kitchen.

"Jasper?" I called after him. "Jasper? Did I do something wrong?"

"Just…stay there for a second," he said, and I could tell by the tone of his voice that his teeth were clenched. I sat there, waiting for him to come back. After ten minutes, he walked back into the room and sat gingerly back onto the chair.

"I'm sorry," he said, formally. "Your scent and the smell of your breath…I got overwhelmed."

"Oh. Well, you're okay now right?" I asked, and for the first time he grinned, wolfishly.

"You're not dead, are you?" he said, bluntly, and I flinched a little. His smile dropped.

"Sorry," he muttered, and I nodded.

"So, should we start on the papers?" I said, deliberately changing the subject.

He nodded, and for the next four hours, we worked diligently on the applications, each of us applying for the same universities. He managed to convince me to apply for a few Ivy League colleges, though I wasn't confident about my chances of getting in.

We worked quietly, exchanging only a few words. There was a lot I want to talk to him about, and I sensed that we were going to talk soon. But, I did my applications with Jasper without any deep conversation.

Finally, at three o'clock in the afternoon, I pushed away the last application and rubbed my temples, sighing. The process was exhausting, but I felt a sense of accomplishment at having finished them. In fact, it went deeper: I was taking steps to get away from Edward and the emptiness that my life had become. I was doing something to make my life better.

It may seem a bit odd; I was trying to get away from Edward, yet I was intending to take Jasper with me. But, in all honesty, I found Jasper to be totally different from his brother. And, honestly, I had already begun to think of Jasper as something else, maybe a friend. And the hope of having a friend, even one as unconventional as Jasper, who knew who I was, who the real me was, filled me with a warm feeling.

I realised that I'd been staring at him, and he was staring back. Embarrassed, I averted my eyes, blushing, before realising that I was probably making it worse for him, the blood painting my cheeks a beacon for his vampire senses.

He didn't do or say anything for a long time, but I could feel him staring at me. I played with a knot of wood in the table, tracing the pattern with my finger nail.

Finally, I mustered up the courage and said, "We need to talk." He nodded, but didn't say anything.

"First of all...I have to tell you…I'm sorry for what I did to you." A flicker of surprise crossed his face before it became passive again. "I mean, I'm sorry that I got involved with you in the first place. It was so stupid, but I couldn't help it. I truly thought…" I trailed off.

"That you loved him," he said, speaking for the first time in nearly ten minutes. It wasn't a question.

I nodded. "I did, I mean, I still do, very much, and if he were to come back, I'd be with him in a heartbeat. Each and every day though, this seems less likely, and it's going to take me a while, but I will get over it. Also…

"Thank you for not killing me that night. It made me realise that I still want to live, that I don't want to die. So, thanks for that."

"For trying to kill you? No problem," he said. I didn't flinch this time.

"One other thing…It was you who killed Mike, and the other two teenagers, wasn't it?" I asked him, and this time it was he who looked away, as though ashamed.

"Yes," he muttered, before looking back up at me. "Are you scared?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm not."

"Do you hate me?"

I didn't even have to hesitate. "No, I don't, Jasper; I've never hated you, and I doubt I ever will."

He stared at me, and for once his calm mask was missing, replaced with incredulity.

"What, so, you're completely fine with the fact that I _murdered _three people—one of which was one of your friends, and that his family will never have justice, never know what happened?" he sounded angry, and confused.

I considered this for a minute, biting my lip before speaking.

"No…I guess not. But, the fact is Jasper, _you are a vampire. _Like I used to say to Edward, it's in your nature. I guess I'm not blaming you because you just did what your kind does. That's why. It was just unfortunate that Mike was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and yes, there is some small part of me that is angry with you for killing him. But I can't really fault you and keep a clear conscience."

"Then you're stupider than I thought." His tone was harsh, and his words harsher, but I just sat there and waited for his anger to abate.

"I'm sorry," he said. "That was cruel, but my point still remains. And, while we're on the subject of apologies, I'm sorry I tried to kill you the other night, and before that, I'm sorry for what happened, when Edward made up his mind to leave you. I used to think that was your fault, but I had a lot of time to think last night, and I can't really blame you for my flaws."

I nodded. "You honestly don't need to apologise for either of those things, because both of them were my fault." He began shaking his head. "No, Jasper. They were."

He glared at me for a minute before sighing. "Anything else?" he asked in a tired voice.

"Well, there is one thing…" I said, mulling over the thought that had plagued me since that night. "Why was it that you didn't…you know, kill me?"

"I honestly don't know," he said. "No, wait, I do. It was because, when I was flicking through your emotions, right at the end…you were already forgiving me for what I was about to do. And I couldn't handle that, that forgiveness. It made me realise what a monster I'd become, so it brought me back. That's why I left. And, afterwards, as I tried to sate my thirst, there you were again. I couldn't get you and your forgiveness out of my mind.

"I was angry first, incredibly angry, that you were doing this to me. But the more I drank from animals, the more rational I began to think, and then, last night, I realised that I owe you. I owe you for bringing me back from what I was. That's why you're stuck with me now; I can't, I won't go back to the way I was, and the only way to guarantee this is to stick with you. Also, being close to you means that I'm slowly getting used to being around humans without killing them again, _and _it fulfils the promise I made to myself about Edward: I'd done wrong to Edward, by going after you. I vowed to keep you safe so that his sacrifice meant something."

"So, you'll stick with me?" I asked, not daring to hope.

He nodded. "I really don't have a choice."

I stood up, stacking the papers into a neat pile and pushing my chair away from the table. I stretched, before moving over to the bench to start making lunch.

"Do you want anything?" It was a stupid question, but it felt like something I should say.

"No. I'm good," he said.

Ten minutes later, I sat down with a bowl of noodles, steam rising invitingly off of them. They smelt delicious to me, but Jasper wrinkled his nose.

"How can you _eat _that?" he asked.

"Well, I put it in my mouth, chew, and swallow," I said, before demonstrating.

"Ha, ha. Very funny," he said.

The rest of the afternoon was spent talking to Jasper about nothing, really. We got to know each other, him asking me about myself, and me asking him about his history, which I was surprisingly interested in. He was completely different from what I thought he was when I was with Edward, and I was glad that I got the chance to get to know him, even now.

I truly didn't blame him for what he did on either of the occasions where he tried to kill me. I understood perfectly that he was just doing what vampires do, and even if he was the catalyst in what I consider to be one of the worst events in life, I had to give him credit: he really was trying to good by me, and Edward.

"Jasper…" I said.

"Yes?"

"What happened…to Alice?" I asked, fearing the answer.

"She's gone." His answer was curt.

"Gone…where?"

"Just gone," he said. "I don't want to talk about it."

"…Okay."

Sooner than it felt like it should have been, Dad was pulling into the driveway. I sighed and was just about to tell Jasper that he should go, but he was already gone.

"Well, bye, then," I said to the empty kitchen.

Charlie opened the front door then nosily clomped down the hallway, hanging up his gun belt before passing into the kitchen.

"Hey, Bells," Charlie said, looking at me.

"Hey, Dad," I replied, smiling. He stared at me suspiciously.

"Why are you so happy?" he asked.

"Oh, no reason." I was saved from further explanation as Charlie's eyes fell on the stack of applications on the table.

"Were you doing these for college?" he asked me.

"Yes," I said. "I thought I'd better do them so that I can submit them before application period closes."

"Oh. Well, great," he said, seeming genuinely pleased. "Have you started dinner?"

"Oh, sorry, Dad. I didn't even think of it."

"That's okay. We'll get a pizza, or something. The main thing is that you did your apps."

The rest of the evening passed quickly, and for the first time in a long time, I actually had a conversation with Charlie. It was great.

And then, when I walked up the stairs and into my bedroom, I was pleased to see Jasper standing with his arms crossed next to the windowsill.

"How long have you been there?" I asked, curious.

"About twenty minutes. I went home and changed, and then went hunting," he said, and I looked at his eyes. They were a muted golden colour, like cider. Not the usual tone, but close.

And, that night, as I lay in bed with Jasper a meter from me, and slowly fell asleep, I didn't dream at all.

* * *

_I'm sorry if the part about applications is faulty. I live in Australia, and the process is different here._

_Hope you enjoyed, as always._

_Jasper's version of this chapter will be an outtake at the end of the story, along with a couple of others I have planned._


	7. Chapter 6, Part 1

**Unexpected**

**By ParamoreXD**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

* * *

And so, once again, I must blame this on a constant stream of problems out of my control-we switched our internet service from Telstra to Optus, my charger cable has had issues, and some program called RelevantKnowledge has been wreaking havoc with my operating system.

-sigh-

You should all just desert me for this.

* * *

_This chapter was so large I've split it into three. Bit of a time skip, bear with me. _

* * *

Over the next couple of months, my friendship with Jasper only got stronger. I could not bear to be away from him for any length of time. He was my one connection to that world, the world I had once belonged to. I truly could not have foreseen how strong my bond was with him. He really was my friend, probably my best friend. The only one of my friends I still talked to was Angela; she was the only one willing to forgive my behaviour. But that was okay. Angela was probably the only one who I really missed.

Jasper effortlessly managed to insert himself into an American History course of the University of Alaska, quelling any lingering fear that I would be left alone. It came as no surprise to me, or anyone else, that the University was happy to give such a gracious beneficiary a place in their university. I shuddered to think the size of the check that changed hands, but for once, I wasn't going to complain; I was glad he was coming with me. I was sure that Jasper would never leave me.

_You were sure Edward would never leave you once, too._

_Shut up._

It was the day of our move. Jasper had a house on campus (of course), and we were going to live together. I was actually surprised that Charlie was okay with this. But Charlie was just as taken to Jasper as I was. I was worried about that, at the start. I wasn't entirely sure how dad was going to react with me being friends with the brother of the one who broke my heart and left me suicidal.

But it had gone better than I thought it would…

* * *

**Two weeks ago**:

* * *

"Are you sure that we should do this?" I asked, nervously, stepping in front of Jasper as he got out of his car.

"Bella, you're being silly," Jasper said, a slight smile on his face. "It'll be fine." He tapped his head. "Empath, remember?"

"I know, but shouldn't we not push our luck?" I said, refusing to move."He might shoot you. Seriously. That's how much he hates Edward."

Jasper snorted. "A bullet is hardly going to hurt me."

I rolled my eyes. "I _know _that. I mean, it'll probably make him a bit suspicious when the bullet doesn't hurt you. Not to mention the fact that he will probably be angrier when he doesn't seriously injure you."

He was full out grinning now. "Is your father a naturally violent man? Or does he just make an exception for vampires."

I chose not to answer that.

He put his hands on my shoulder, looking into my face. I could feel the cold leak through my thin sweater.

"It'll be fine," he breathed, his cold breath washing over my face like the finest fragrance. Damn vampires and their natural beauty…

"Yes, Jasper," I said, though it sounded more like a breathy sigh.

Jasper chuckled throatily and kissed me on the forehead. "I promise that it will go great. Besides. Your father needs to know who I am. And he needs to know that _I'm nothing like Edward._"

I had to admit that Jasper with his blond hair and muscular form, didn't really look like Edward. But, the difference was deeper than just his looks. Jasper was more relaxed than Edward ever was around me. He was easier to get along with, and was a true friend. With Edward, there had always just been an intense physical connection, as though something was drawing me to him, as though something was _making _me love him. But with Jasper, I truly liked him, because he'd given me a reason to. He was deep, thoughtful, funny and sarcastic in equal measures. There was something around him that drew me to him, and I don't think it's his gift. Probably others would be drawn to him like this too, if they had gotten past his scary façade like me.

So, I knew that it would be okay, with Charlie. His latent draw would be enough. And if it wasn't, well, his gift with emotions would be more than enough to win him over, though I loathe to force Charlie to feel something he didn't naturally.

I stepped aside in surrender, and then whispered, "If he does shoot you, make sure to look injured."

Jasper grinned. "I'll try to remember that."

"Good. Oh, and…" I bit my lip. "Do you think you'll be okay, you know, with the scent…?"

Jasper laughed. "I haven't killed you yet, have I?" I was almost surprised at the blunt and nonchalant way he said it, reminded once again that this was not Edward, would never be Edward. We just needed to prove it to Charlie."

I knew it was a rhetorical question, so I didn't answer. We slowly walked up the pathway, side by side, Jasper completely calm, me with bowed shoulders as though I was about to face the firing squad. For all I knew, I _was_ about to face the firing squad.

I stepped onto the front porch a half a step ahead of him and turned around, pleading with my eyes.

"Please," I said. "Wait out here for a while, just until I tell Charlie who you are. Then I'll come and get you."

Jasper sighed. "All right," he relented. "But only cause it's you."

I smiled at him, feeling a little more hopeful. I then pivoted on my heel and went inside the house, closing the door behind me.

Dad was in the living room, watching the pre-game program, and I walked in there, though I would have rather to go upstairs to my bedroom and wait for Jasper there.

"Hey, dad…" I said to him, looking at the ground as I rounded the corner.

"Hey, Bells," Charlie said, not looking away from the television. "How's your day?"

"It was okay…"

He seemed to pick up on my mood, which I found odd, considering he'd never done it before.

"Something wrong, Bella?" he asked,

"Kind of. I need to ask you something. I have a… friend… outside."

"So why don't you let her in?"

"It's not a her."

Charlie's eyebrows rose fractionally. "Is this person your boyfriend?"

"What? No!" I couldn't believe he'd jump to conclusions like that. "Can't I have a friend who is a guy?"

It's pretty obvious when I'm lying, and I wasn't lying this time, so Charlie nodded slowly. "So what are you so nervous about, then?"

"It'sJasperHale," I said in a rush, half-hoping he wouldn't be able to decipher my words. Unfortunately, what with my luck being what it is, he understood immediately.

The blood drained from Charlie's face, and he half stood up.

"Jasper Hale? _His _brother?" We all knew who the 'his' was.

"Yes," I whispered. "But Char—dad, he's my friend, one of my best ones. He's the reason why I've gotten better all of a sudden. He's nothing like… _Edward—" _We both cringed at his name—"Do you think I could be about to stay with him if he was? Please, just give him a chance. You'll see."

My little tirade ended on a pleading note, and Charlie looked at me, looking for any sign that I was lying.

Eventually, with a sigh, he sat back down.

"If you really think he's different," Charlie said, grudgingly. "Then I suppose I don't have a problem with him. I want to see this for myself though. So…" His tone was one of extreme reluctance. "Let him in."

My shoulders bowed in relief. He was going to accept Jasper. Maybe. Hopefully.

He was waiting just outside the door, leaning on the railing of the porch with an amused expression.

"You heard that?" I asked, blushing.

"Every word," he said, chuckling lightly. "I loved how your father instantly jumped to 'boyfriend'."

I turned redder, if that was possible. "I don't think I'll be having a boyfriend again for a long time," I said to him.

He nodded. "Are you going to let me in now?" he asked.

Instead of answering, I just pressed myself against the door, allowing him to come in. He walked past me, into Charlie's tiny house, and I felt my anxiety being driven up another notch. Why was I so nervous?

A feeling of calm settled over me, though, and I sighed in relief, looking at Jasper.

"Thanks," I said.

"That's okay. You're going to give yourself an ulcer or something, worrying that much."

"I'm just… nervous."

He looked at me. "It'll be fine," he whispered, and the calm got stronger.

Thanks to Jasper's gift, I was totally relaxed as we both stepped around the corner into the living room, and didn't even flinch when Charlie put the television on mute, which would have normally put me into anxiety-overdrive.

Jasper was formal. "Charlie Swan, I'm Jasper Hale," he said, stepping forward with his hand outstretched. An even stronger cloud of calm and serenity filled the room. It was like being high.

"Uh, hi," Charlie said, as eloquent as always. He reached out and shook Jasper's hand, looking confused as he did so.

"Nice to meet you," he said.

[pagebreak]

The calm feeling, combined with Jasper's knowledge of football, ensured that Charlie didn't have a problem. This was a slight understatement. Charlie completely and utterly approved of Jasper, something that brought me great relief. Charlie had no qualms about me going to university together, not even about us living in the same house together. Charlie trusted us, and I was glad as could be.

Finally, though, it was time for me to say goodbye to Charlie, and Forks itself. It was a forty-eight hour trip to the university non-stop driving, but we were planning to stop overnight and would be there in about four days. Jasper's car was packed (my truck had died a couple of weeks earlier, unfortunately), I had said my goodbyes to my friends, I had gone back to the La Push cliffs and cried a little over Edward—this one I couldn't help—and I had promised to see Renée in a couple of months. The last thing left to do was to say goodbye to Charlie, which l loathed to do.

We were standing outside Charlie's small house, the police cruiser in the driveway. Dad had taken the day off to see me off, and I was oddly touched.

Jasper had excused himself to get in the car, leaving myself and my father alone on the front porch.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye," I said to my father, stuffing my hands in the pocket of my jeans. He nodded at me, just staring.

"I can't believe it, kid," he said. "It seems like not so long ago you were chucking a fit about going fishing with Jacob and Billy Black." We both grinned at that. "And now here you are, off to college with your friend."

"I know, dad…" I said, letting his words sink in. "I can't believe it's been nearly three years since I came to live with you. I'm glad I did."

Charlie sniffed. "I love you, kid," he said, gruffly.

"I love you too, dad," I said, putting my arms around him in a loose hug. We were never really good at expressing our emotions, but we were trying.

"Oh, and there's this," Charlie said, stepping back. He put a hand in his pocket, and drew out a black felt jewellery box.

"Naw, really dad?" I said, blushing. "You didn't have to."

Charlie cleared his throat. "We wanted to."

He gave it to me, and I took it, opening it up. There, nestled on a bed of velvet, was a heart-shaped locket on a golden chain, a small diamond set into the crease between the two halves at the top.

"Thanks, dad," I said, touching it softly with my finger. There were tears in my eyes as the reality of the moment crashed down on me.

"Here, let me put it on," Charlie said, taking the box back from me, and extracting the locket from the box. He swept my hair out of the way and unfastened it, putting it around and then fastening it with clumsy fingers. He swept my hair back down, and I stood back in front of him.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye," I said, after we had a moment of silence.

Charlie nodded. "Goodbye, Bells. I'm gonna miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too. And, who will cook for you? It seems like it's almost neglect to leave you by yourself."

Charlie did something I never expected him to do. He blushed.

"Well, Sue Clearwater has made it clear I'm welcome over for dinner every night…" He trailed off, and I wondered whether there was something more to it than that.

"At least you won't die of hunger, then," I said, lightly, before turning around and walking down the steps to the path. Jasper's car sat, shiny and expensive, on the side of the road, with Jasper himself in it. I could just make him out through the tinted windows.

"Well, bye then, dad," I said to him.

"Bye, Bells," he said, softly, as I open the door of Jasper's car, got into it, and closed the door.

"You ready?" he asked softly. I nodded, wiping a few tears out of my eyes.

"Let's go," I said, quietly, and Jasper started up the car. Slowly, too slowly, Jasper pulled away from the curb, heading down the highway out of Forks.

It was silent in the car, except for my sniffing as I rubbed the tears out of my eyes. Finally, as the last tears dried, and we turned onto the main highway, which would take us almost the entire way to the university, I leaned back in my seat, yawning. I hadn't slept much the night before, the stress of leaving everything behind keeping me awake.

"Tired?" Jasper asked me.

"Very," I replied, closing my eyes and settling back in my seat. "I might take a nap, if it doesn't bother you."

Clouds of peace, serenity and calm filled the car. I yawned again as my eyes dropped.

"Thanks, Jasper," I muttered, as I feel into a deep sleep.

_There was a screaming in my ears. I opened my eyes and saw a luggage rack above me, part of a plane. _

_I was sitting in a plane. It was noisy, the engine was screaming and the wind was lashing the windows. But at the same time, it was eerily silent. No one was talking, or breathing, or making any noise at all. We were angled downward, and through the window the sky was tilted, the grey clouds on an angle, and the water rushing up to meet us._

_We were crashing._

_I clutched the armrests tighter, the wood and metal creaking and buckling as I moulded the metal with my fingers._

_Down below, the blue water came rushing up to meet us. _

"Bella? Bella!"

There was an arm shaking me.

I jumped, my body dumping me back into reality as the aeroplane melted away. We were still in Jasper's car, still speeding down the rain-slicked highway, always too fast.

"Are you all right?" he asked me, concerned.

I took a deep breath. "I think so…" I said, as the dream faded away.

"You just got really fidgety, and you were clamping your knee, and you were really scared." He was still concerned.

"Just a bad dream," I said.

"Sure?"

I smiled. "Yes, Jasper. I'm sure."

"Good," he said. "Because we're stopping for the night."

He slowed down—now he was only forty kilometres above the speed limit—and took an exit I hadn't seen through the rain that was pelting the highway with a vengeance. Probably trying to make up for its absence this morning. Stupid Washington weather.

That reminded me. "How long was I asleep?" I asked.

"Exactly eight hours, twenty-three minutes, and eighteen seconds."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks."

He grinned. "Anytime."

"Why's the window open?" I asked, looking back. The back window was open, the rain coming in and soaking the seat.

The smile slid off of his face. "It got a bit too much…" he said. "With the fear radiating off of you… and your smell…"

"Oh." I swallowed quickly. "Sorry."

He smiled again. "Not your fault. Besides, I think I'm okay now."

He slid the window closed, and the natural cool temperature disappeared, replaced by the filtered air from the air-conditioning duct.

I stretched in my seat, my stiff muscles protesting, and yawned. My stomach growled. Jasper chuckled.

"Dinner time for the human?" he asked.

"Don't call me that," I said, and he stared at me in surprise. "I'm sorry. It's just... Edward used to say that." He nodded, and we drove in silence for a little while longer.

"But yes, food would be nice," I said, as he drove along one of those roads by the side of the highway that no one really takes any notice of. With the rain and the dark and the fact that there was no one around, it would have been straight out of a horror movie. Anything out of a horror movie, however, would have a bit of trouble fighting off Jasper, and I was reasonably confident that he'd protect me against any psychotic killers. Actually, the thought of anything trying to kill me when I was with Jasper was almost laughable.

"Something funny?" Jasper asked, staring ahead at the road.

"Oh, I was just thinking about how this could almost be a scene out of a horror movie."

"What, the evil vampire taking his hapless prey down a road to an abandoned hotel so that he could have his way with her?"

"Oh, yes, totally," I said, layering the sarcasm. "How shall I escape?"

He looked at me, serious for once.

"You've changed," he said. "From what you used to be like, with Edward." I cringed when he said _the name. _He noticed, I saw it in his eyes, but I spoke quickly in an unsuccessful attempt to appear nonchalant.

"Well, you've changed too," I said to him. "You used to be really quiet, and reserved."

"Nah," he said. "You just never really got to know me."

"A mistake," I said, smiling.

A couple of minutes later, we pulled up at a Super 8, the vacancy sign shining in the darkness. There were a couple of rooms left for hire, and Jasper was handed the keys to number nine by a creaky old man. The entire place was pretty creepy, and I was glad I was there with Jasper.

We got back in the car and Jasper parked in front of number nine, giving me the key and fetching my overnight bag from the trunk.

I unlocked my door, and then pushed it open. There was a light switch on the wall and I flicked it. The room was fairly clean, with a double bed, a television, a mini fridge and in the corner, a bathroom. The walls were painted a cheerful blue.

I dropped my bag on the bed, and looked lay down next to it, yawning. I was still quite tired, despite my sleep in the car. But then my stomach growled and I decided the first thing to do would be to eat.

"Jasper?" I asked. He was there in an instant, the door closed behind him.

"Yes?"

"Is there anywhere around here that sells food?"

"I just went a couple of miles up and down the road. There's a McDonalds not far from here."

"Sounds good. Take me there?" I asked.

"Of course."

I eat quickly at the fast-food restaurant, and we returned to the room for the night. There was a comfortable silence between us, one that I enjoyed. I showered, brushed my teeth, and slid between the sheets of the bed. Jasper was in the corner, staring at me with eyes that reflected the moonlight coming from a chink in the blinds. The rest of the room was dark.

"Well, goodnight," I said, turning on my side and closing my eyes.

"Goodnight, Bella," his voice came in reply, but I was already asleep, deep within my now comfortable dreams.

* * *

She stood in amongst the trees.

The moon beamed down onto the scene, giving off an ethereal light. It made the entire place look quite creepy, but she didn't care about creepy. She was almost the embodiment of something worse than merely 'creepy'.

Directly in front of her was an abandoned stretch of road, stretching from left to right out of her field of vision. Further across was a motor-inn, one of _those_-the ones that sprung up off the roads off every highway in America. The front office was close, the windows darkened. A few of the rooms were lit. The one she was concentrating on wasn't.

She could smell him, on the air-the large, blond vampire. She couldn't risk it at the moment, but soon, _oh so soon..._

She twirled around, a dancer's pirouette, and stalked off into the forest, the darkness and the trees swallowing her within a couple of seconds.

* * *

_Just a random note: If there's one word in the English language I can't spell right _ever_, it's 'restaurant'. Seriously, gets me every time._

_Until the next chapter, WHICH SHOULD BE SOON, I bid thee farewell. _

_If I don't update within a week, feel free to spam my inbox with messages complaining. _


End file.
